{"id":54654,"date":"2019-08-30T11:26:38","date_gmt":"2019-08-30T11:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/when-can-babies-sleep-with-a-blanket\/"},"modified":"2019-08-30T11:26:38","modified_gmt":"2019-08-30T11:26:38","slug":"when-can-babies-sleep-with-a-blanket","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.babyhealthandcare.com\/de\/when-can-babies-sleep-with-a-blanket\/","title":{"rendered":"When can babies sleep with a blanket?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Photo via @makelmg on Instagram <\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Like many <\/b>new parents, my husband and I worried about sudden infant death syndrome<\/strong> when our daughter, Rosalind,  <\/span>was a newborn. We followed the Canadian Paediatric Society recommendations about not using blankets or keeping stuffies in the crib\u2014they can become suffocation and entanglement hazards\u2014and swaddled instead. We never used pillows or crib bumpers either. But as soon as she could Houdini her arms out of the swaddle (I think this was around the two-month mark, though exact dates are fuzzy given the sleep-deprivation), we moved on to a sleep sack\u2014an increasingly popular option when traditional blankets are considered no-nos.<\/span><\/p>\n

The recommendation not to use loose blankets or any soft items in the crib is really only for the first 12 months of life, says sleep medicine physician Joanna MacLean, who is also a paediatric respirologist and the medical director of the Stollery Children\u2019s Hospital sleep lab in Edmonton. After the first year, blankets, when used in a safe way, pose less risk than when your baby is younger. This means one of the many adorable baby blankets we received as shower gifts<\/strong> would now be a good choice for our 18-month-old daughter, while a queen-sized down duvet would not. \u201cMake sure it\u2019s a small blanket, and not something that can get wrapped around the baby\u2019s neck,\u201d recommends MacLean.<\/span><\/p>

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As babies grow into toddlers, they may also get more attached to comfort objects or stuffed animals<\/strong>. After the age of 12 months, having a favourite stuffie in the crib is also less risky, says MacLean. \u201cChoose an appropriate size, like a small stuffie that doesn\u2019t have little parts that can come off.\u201d Don\u2019t overload the crib\u2014you\u2019ll end up having to pack an entire zoo of beloved stuffies whenever your child is sleeping away from home.<\/span><\/p>\n

While it\u2019s safe to use a blanket to tuck in a toddler, it can be tricky to get a one- or two-year-old to actually stay under that blanket. \u201cLittle people roll around a lot in their cribs,\u201d says MacLean. \u201cMost won\u2019t actually keep a blanket on.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

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\nHelp! My toddler is suddenly a terrible sleeper<\/span>Emma Climie, a Calgary mom to 22-month-old Zachary, says sleep sacks remain the best option to keep her squirmy boy warm at night. \u201cHe rolls around his entire crib, almost doing laps. We need something that stays on.\u201d Climie and her husband hope to transition Zachary to a toddler bed<\/strong>, with blankets, before baby No. 2 arrives this spring. They have started using a light blanket over him, in addition to the sleep sack. \u201cNow he doesn\u2019t seem to move as much, because he likes having the blanket on him,\u201d Climie says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pam Edwards, a sleep consultant in Grande Prairie, Alta., who has two kids of her own, is a big proponent of using sleep sacks beyond 12 months. Her three-year-old son, Arlo, still wears one. \u201cMost kids don\u2019t learn how to pull the blankets onto themselves until they\u2019re three or four,\u201d Edwards says. \u201cA sleep sack prevents you from having to go back in multiple times each night to tuck them back in.\u201d As a bonus, sleep sacks can also restrict mobility just enough to discourage toddlers from climbing out of their cribs, she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that I know using blankets in our toddler\u2019s crib is expert-approved, I\u2019m tempted to make the switch\u2014my daughter\u2019s toes are nearing the end of her newest sleep sack, and I shudder at shelling out $50 for a new one. Actually, let\u2019s make that $100: We always need an extra one for the inevitable late-night diaper explosion<\/strong>. (There are cheaper versions, but after two broken zippers\u2014one while my daughter was trapped inside the sack\u2014I\u2019ll pay a bit more for better quality.) However, the old \u201cif it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it\u201d adage is important to consider, too. These pricey sleep sacks are working well for us, and no parent wants to mess with a successful bedtime routine<\/strong>. Whatever helps Rosalind sleep soundly results in more shut-eye for my husband and me, so perhaps it\u2019s money well spent.<\/span><\/p>\n

Label decoding<\/h2>\n

Most sleep sacks\u2014also sold as bunting bags or wearable blankets\u2014come in zero- to six- or six- to 18-month sizes. Look for a seasonally appropriate fabric: Some have a \u201ctog\u201d number on the tag, which indicates the warmth. A 1.0 tog is a spring and fall weight (for room temperatures of 20 to 23C), and a 2.5 tog is for winter (or room temperatures of 16 to 20C).<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more:
The 11 most dangerous baby products
Letting your baby sleep in the car seat is super risky\u2014here\u2019s why<\/strong><\/p>\n

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